---
title: "Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία"
author: "Josephus"
translator: "William Whiston"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Second Temple"
section: 11 of 96
url: https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/11/
cite: "Josephus, tr. William Whiston, Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία, section 11. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/11/"
---

# Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία

*Josephus, tr. William Whiston*

The history of the Jews from the Creation to the eve of the revolt, in twenty books, with the passages on John the Baptist and Jesus: Niese’s Greek beside Whiston’s English.

> Greek: ed. Benedikt Niese, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0526.tlg001, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: William Whiston, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0526.tlg001.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (books, chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 11. Book III · sections 5–83

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/11/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/11/#p-N

[¶0] 5. When Moses saw how much the people were cast down, and that the occasion of it could not be contradicted, for the people were not in the nature of a complete army of men, who might oppose a manly fortitude to the necessity that distressed them; the multitude of the children, and of the women also, being of too weak capacities to be persuaded by reason, blunted the courage of the men themselves, - he was therefore in great difficulties, and made everybody’s calamity his own; for they ran all of them to him, and begged of him; the women begged for their infants, and the men for the women, that he would not overlook them, but procure some way or other for their deliverance. He therefore betook himself to prayer to God, that he would change the water from its present badness, and make it fit for drinking. And when God had granted him that favor, he took the top of a stick that lay down at his feet, and divided it in the middle, and made the section lengthways. He then let it down into the well, and persuaded the Hebrews that God had hearkened to his prayers, and had promised to render the water such as they desired it to be, in case they would be subservient to him in what he should enjoin them to do, and this not after a remiss or negligent manner. And when they asked what they were to do in order to have the water changed for the better, he bid the strongest men among them that stood there, to draw up water and told them, that when the greatest part was drawn up, the remainder would be fit to drink. So they labored at it till the water was so agitated and purged as to be fit to drink.

> Greek: 5. Ὁρῶν δʼ ὁ Μωυσῆς ἀθύμως διακειμένους καὶ τοῦ πράγματος τὸ ἀναντίλεκτον, οὐ γὰρ καθαρὸς ἦν στρατὸς ὥστε τῷ βιαζομένῳ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἀντιτάξαι τὸ ἀνδρεῖον, ἀλλὰ διέφθειρε τὸ κατʼ ἐκείνους γενναῖον παίδων τε καὶ γυναικῶν ὄχλος ἀσθενέστερος τῆς ἐκ λόγων διδασκαλίας, ἐν χαλεπωτέροις ἦν τὴν συμφορὰν τὴν ἁπάντων ἰδίαν αὐτοῦ ποιούμενος· καὶ γὰρ οὐδʼ ἐπʼ ἄλλον τινὰ συνέτρεχον ἀλλʼ ἐπʼ αὐτόν, ἀντιβολοῦντες γύναια μὲν ὑπὲρ νηπίων οἱ δʼ ἄνδρες ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων μὴ περιορᾶν, ἀλλʼ ἐκπορίζειν αὐτοῖς ἀφορμήν τινα σωτηρίας. ἱκετεύειν οὖν τρέπεται τὸν θεὸν μεταβαλεῖν τὸ ὕδωρ ἐκ τῆς παρούσης κακίας καὶ πότιμον αὐτοῖς παρασχεῖν. καὶ κατανεύσαντος τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν χάριν λαβὼν τομάδος τὸ ἄκρον ἐν ποσὶν ἐρριμμένης διαιρεῖ μέσην καὶ κατὰ τὸ μῆκος τὴν τομὴν ποιησάμενος, ἔπειτα μεθεὶς εἰς τὸ φρέαρ ἔπειθε τοὺς Ἑβραίους τὸν θεὸν ἐπήκοον αὐτοῦ τῶν εὐχῶν γεγονέναι καὶ ὑπεσχῆσθαι τὸ ὕδωρ αὐτοῖς παρέξειν οἷον ἐπιθυμοῦσιν, ἂν πρὸς τὰ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ κελευόμενα μὴ ὀκνηρῶς ἀλλὰ προθύμως ὑπουργῶσιν. ἐρομένων δʼ αὐτῶν, τί καὶ ποιούντων ἂν μεταβάλοι τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον, κελεύει τοὺς ἐν ἀκμῇ περιστάντας ἐξαντλεῖν λέγων τὸ ὑπολειπόμενον ἔσεσθαι πότιμον αὐτοῖς προεκκενωθέντος τοῦ πλείονος. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐπόνουν, τὸ δʼ ὑπὸ τῶν συνεχῶν πληγῶν γεγυμνασμένον καὶ κεκαθαρμένον ἤδη πότιμον ἦν.

[¶1] 9. And now removing from thence they came to Elim; which place looked well at a distance, for there was a grove of palm-trees; but when they came near to it, it appeared to be a bad place, for the palm-trees were no more than seventy; and they were ill-grown and creeping trees, by the want of water, for the country about was all parched, and no moisture sufficient to water them, and make them hopeful and useful, was derived to them from the fountains, which were in number twelve: they were rather a few moist places than springs, which not breaking out of the ground, nor running over, could not sufficiently water the trees. And when they dug into the sand, they met with no water; and if they took a few drops of it into their hands, they found it to be useless, on account of its mud. The trees were too weak to bear fruit, for want of being sufficiently cherished and enlivened by the water. So they laid the blame on their conductor, and made heavy complaints against him; and said that this their miserable state, and the experience they had of adversity, were owing to him; for that they had then journeyed an entire thirty days, and had spent all the provisions they had brought with them; and meeting with no relief, they were in a very desponding condition. And by fixing their attention upon nothing but their present misfortunes, they were hindered from remembering what deliverances they had received from God, and those by the virtue and wisdom of Moses also; so they were very angry at their conductor, and were zealous in their attempt to stone him, as the direct occasion of their present miseries.

> Greek: 9. Ἄραντες δʼ ἐκεῖθεν εἰς Ἦλιν ἀφικνοῦνται πόρρωθεν μὲν ἀγαθὴν ὁραθῆναι, καὶ γὰρ φοινικόφυτος ἦν, πλησιάζουσα δʼ ἀπηλέγχετο πονηρά· καὶ γὰρ οἱ φοίνικες ὄντες οὐ πλείους ἑβδομήκοντα δυσαυξεῖς τε ἦσαν καὶ χαμαίζηλοι διʼ ὕδατος ἀπορίαν ψαφαροῦ τοῦ παντὸς ὄντος χωρίου· οὔτε γὰρ ἐκ τῶν πηγῶν δώδεκα οὐσῶν τὸν ἀριθμὸν νοτερόν τι προσαρδεῦον αὐτοῖς διʼ ἐλπίδα χρήσιμον, ἀλλὰ μὴ δυναμένων ἐκβλύσαι μηδʼ ἀνασχεῖν ἰκμάδες ἦσαν ὀλίγαι, καὶ διαμωμένοις τὴν ψάμμον οὐδὲν ἀπήντα, κἂν εἴ τι δὲ στάζον ἔλαβον εἰς χεῖρας, ἄχρηστον ηὕρισκον ὑπὸ τοῦ θολερὸν εἶναι· καρπόν τε φέρειν ἦν ἀσθενῆ τὰ δένδρα διὰ σπάνιν τῆς ἐξ ὕδατος εἰς τοῦτο ἀφορμῆς καὶ παρακλήσεως. εἶχον οὖν ἐν αἰτίᾳ τὸν στρατηγὸν καὶ κατεβόων αὐτοῦ τὴν ταλαιπωρίαν καὶ τὴν πεῖραν τῶν κακῶν διʼ αὐτὸν πάσχειν λέγοντες· τριακοστὴν γὰρ ἐκείνην ὁδεύοντες ἡμέραν ὅσα μὲν ἐπεφέροντο πάντʼ ἦσαν ἀναλωκότες, μηδενὶ δὲ περιτυγχάνοντες δυσέλπιδες ἦσαν περὶ τῶν ὅλων. πρὸς δὲ τῷ παρόντι κακῷ τὴν διάνοιαν ὄντες καὶ ἐν μνήμῃ εἶναι τῶν ὑπηργμένων αὐτοῖς ἔκ τε τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τῆς Μωυσέος ἀρετῆς καὶ συνέσεως κωλυόμενοι διʼ ὀργῆς τὸν στρατηγὸν εἶχον καὶ βάλλειν αὐτὸν ὡρμήκεσαν ὡς αἰτιώτατον τῆς ἐν ποσὶ συμφορᾶς.

[¶2] 13. But as for Moses himself, while the multitude were irritated and bitterly set against him, he cheerfully relied upon God, and upon his consciousness of the care he had taken of these his own people; and he came into the midst of them, even while they clamored against him, and had stones in their hands in order to despatch him. Now he was of an agreeable presence, and very able to persuade the people by his speeches; accordingly he began to mitigate their anger, and exhorted them not to be over-mindful of their present adversities, lest they should thereby suffer the benefits that had formerly been bestowed on them to slip out of their memories; and he desired them by no means, on account of their present uneasiness, to cast those great and wonderful favors and gifts, which they had obtained of God, out of their minds, but to expect deliverance out of those their present troubles which they could not free themselves from, and this by the means of that Divine Providence which watched over them. Seeing it is probable that God tries their virtue, and exercises their patience by these adversities, that it may appear what fortitude they have, and what memory they retain of his former wonderful works in their favor, and whether they will not think of them upon occasion of the miseries they now feel. He told them, it appeared they were not really good men, either in patience, or in remembering what had been successfully done for them, sometimes by contemning God and his commands, when by those commands they left the land of Egypt; and sometimes by behaving themselves ill towards him who was the servant of God, and this when he had never deceived them, either in what he said, or had ordered them to do by God’s command. He also put them in mind of all that had passed; how the Egyptians were destroyed when they attempted to detain them, contrary to the command of God; and after what manner the very same river was to the others bloody, and not fit for drinking, but was to them sweet, and fit for drinking; and how they went a new road through the sea, which fled a long way from them, by which very means they were themselves preserved, but saw their enemies destroyed; and that when they were in want of weapons, God gave them plenty of them; - and so he recounted all the particular instances, how when they were, in appearance, just going to be destroyed, God had saved them in a surprising manner; and that he had still the same power; and that they ought not even now to despair of his providence over them; and accordingly he exhorted them to continue quiet, and to consider that help would not come too late, though it come not immediately, if it be present with them before they suffer any great misfortune; that they ought to reason thus: that God delays to assist them, not because he has no regard to them, but because he will first try their fortitude, and the pleasure they take in their freedom, that he may learn whether you have souls great enough to bear want of food, and scarcity of water, on its account; or whether you rather love to be slaves, as cattle are slaves to such as own them, and feed them liberally, but only in order to make them more useful in their service. That as for himself, he shall not be so much concerned for his own preservation; for if he die unjustly, he shall not reckon it any affliction, but that he is concerned for them, lest, by casting stones at him, they should be thought to condemn God himself.

> Greek: 13. Ὁ δʼ οὕτως ἀνηρεθισμένου τοῦ πλήθους καὶ πικρῶς ἐπʼ αὐτὸν κεκινημένου τῷ θεῷ θαρρῶν καὶ τῷ συνειδότι τῆς περὶ τοὺς ὁμοφύλους προνοίας πάρεισιν εἰς μέσους, καὶ καταβοώντων καὶ κατὰ χεῖρας ἔτι τοὺς λίθους ἐχόντων, ὁραθῆναί τε κεχαρισμένος ὢν καὶ πλήθεσιν ὁμιλεῖν πιθανώτατος, καταπαύειν ἤρξατο τῆς ὀργῆς, μὴ τῶν παρόντων αὐτοὺς δυσκόλων μεμνημένους λήθην ἔχειν τῶν ἔμπροσθεν εὐεργεσιῶν παρακαλῶν, μηδʼ ὅτι νῦν πονοῦσι τῆς διανοίας ἐκβάλλειν τὰς τοῦ θεοῦ χάριτας καὶ δωρεάς, ὧν μεγάλων καὶ ἐκ παραδόξου ἔτυχον γενομένων, προσδοκᾶν δὲ καὶ τῆς παρούσης ἀπαλλαγῆναι ἀμηχανίας ἐκ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ κηδεμονίας, ὃν εἰκὸς δοκιμάζοντα τὴν ἀρετὴν αὐτῶν πῶς τε καρτερίας ἔχουσι καὶ μνήμης τῶν προϋπηργμένων, εἰ μὴ πρὸς ἐκεῖνα γίγνοιντο διὰ τὰ ἐν ποσὶ κακά, γυμνάζειν αὐτοὺς τοῖς ἄρτι χαλεποῖς. ἐλέγχεσθαι δὲ αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἀγαθοὺς οὔτε περὶ τὴν ὑπομονὴν οὔτε περὶ τὴν μνήμην τῶν εὖ γεγονότων, οὕτως μὲν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τῆς ἐκείνου γνώμης, καθʼ ἣν ἐκλελοίπασι τὴν Αἴγυπτον, καταφρονοῦντας, οὕτως δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν ὑπηρέτην αὐτοῦ διατεθέντας καὶ ταῦτα μηδὲν αὐτοὺς διαψευσάμενον περὶ ὧν εἴποι τε καὶ πράττειν κατʼ ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ κελεύσειε. κατηρίθμει τε πάντα, πῶς τε φθαρεῖεν Αἰγύπτιοι κατέχειν αὐτοὺς παρὰ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ γνώμην βιαζόμενοι, καὶ τίνα τρόπον ὁ αὐτὸς ποταμὸς ἐκείνοις μὲν αἷμα ἦν καὶ ἄποτος αὐτοῖς δὲ πότιμος καὶ γλυκύς, πῶς τε διὰ τῆς θαλάσσης ἀναφυγούσης αὐτοῖς πορρωτάτω καινὴν ὁδὸν ἀπελθόντες αὐτῇ ταύτῃ σωθείησαν μὲν αὐτοί, τοὺς δὲ ἐχθροὺς ἐπίδοιεν ἀπολωλότας, ὅτι τε σπανίζοντας ὅπλων εἰς εὐπορίαν ὁ θεὸς καὶ τούτων καταστήσειε, τά τε ἄλλα ὅσα πρὸς αὐτῷ τῷ διαφθαρήσεσθαι δόξαντας γεγονέναι καὶ σώσειεν ὁ θεὸς ἐκ παραλόγου καὶ ὡς δύναμις αὐτῷ· μὴ ἀπογινώσκειν δὲ μηδὲ νῦν αὐτοῦ τὴν πρόνοιαν, ἀλλʼ ἀοργήτως περιμένειν, λογιζομένους μὲν τὴν ἐπικουρίαν μηδὲ βραδεῖαν γίνεσθαι, εἰ μὴ παραυτίκα καὶ εἰ μὴ πρίν τινος πειραθῆναι δυσκόλου πάρεστιν, ἡγουμένους δὲ οὐ κατὰ ὀλιγωρίαν μέλλειν τὸν θεόν, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πείρᾳ τῆς ἀνδρείας αὐτῶν καὶ τῆς περὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἡδονῆς, ἵνα μάθοι πότερόν ποτε καὶ τροφῆς ἀπορίαν καὶ σπάνιν ὕδατος ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἐστε ἐνεγκεῖν γενναῖοι, ἢ δουλεύειν μᾶλλον ἀγαπᾶτε καθάπερ τὰ βοσκήματα τοῖς κρατοῦσι καὶ τοῖς πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνων ὑπηρεσίας ἀφθόνως τρεφομένοις· δεδιέναι δʼ εἰπὼν οὐχ οὕτως ὑπὲρ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ σωτηρίας, πείσεσθαι γὰρ οὐδὲν κακὸν ἀδίκως ἀποθανών, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, μὴ διʼ ὧνπερ αὐτὸν βάλλουσι λίθων τοῦ θεοῦ κατακρίνειν νομισθῶσιν, ἐπράυνεν αὐτοὺς καὶ τῆς μὲν τοῦ βάλλειν ὁρμῆς ἐπέσχε καὶ εἰς μετάνοιαν ὧν ἔμελλον δρᾶν ἔτρεψε.

[¶3] 22. By this means Moses pacified the people, and restrained them from stoning him, and brought them to repent of what they were going to do. And because he thought the necessity they were under made their passion less unjustifiable, he thought he ought to apply himself to God by prayer and supplication; and going up to an eminence, he requested of God for some succor for the people, and some way of deliverance from the want they were in, because in him, and in him alone, was their hope of salvation; and he desired that he would forgive what necessity had forced the people to do, since such was the nature of mankind, hard to please, and very complaining under adversities. Accordingly God promised he would take care of them, and afford them the succor they were desirous of. Now when Moses had heard this from God, he came down to the multitude. But as soon as they saw him joyful at the promises he had received from God, they changed their sad countenances into gladness. So he placed himself in the midst of them, and told them he came to bring them from God a deliverance from their present distresses. Accordingly a little after came a vast number of quails, which is a bird more plentiful in this Arabian Gulf than any where else, flying over the sea, and hovered over them, till wearied with their laborious flight, and, indeed, as usual, flying very near to the earth, they fell down upon the Hebrews, who caught them, and satisfied their hunger with them, and supposed that this was the method whereby God meant to supply them with food. Upon which Moses returned thanks to God for affording them his assistance so suddenly, and sooner than he had promised them.

> Greek: 22. παθεῖν δʼ οὐκ ἀλόγως αὐτοὺς διὰ τὴν ἀνάγκην τοῦτο νομίσας ἔγνω δεῖν ἐφʼ ἱκετείαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ παράκλησιν ἐλθεῖν, καὶ ἀναβὰς ἐπί τινα σκοπὴν ᾔτει πόρον τινὰ τῷ λαῷ καὶ τῆς ἐνδείας ἀπαλλαγήν· ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ εἶναι τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐν ἄλλῳ· συγγινώσκειν δὲ τοῖς νῦν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ὑπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ πραττομένοις φύσει δυσαρέστου καὶ φιλαιτίου τοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐν οἷς ἂν ἀτυχῇ γένους ὄντος. ὁ θεὸς δὲ προνοήσειν τε ἐπαγγέλλεται καὶ παρέξειν ἀφορμὴν ἣν ποθοῦσι. Μωυσῆς δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ ταῦτʼ ἀκούσας καταβαίνει πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος· οἱ δʼ ὡς ἑώρων καὶ ταῖς ἐπαγγελίαις ταῖς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγηθότα μετέβαλον ἐκ τῆς κατηφείας πρὸς τὸ ἱλαρώτερον, καὶ στὰς ἐκεῖνος ἐν μέσοις ἥκειν ἔλεγε φέρων αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν περὶ τῶν ἐνεστηκότων ἀπόρων ἀπαλλαγήν. καὶ μετʼ ὀλίγον ὀρτύγων πλῆθος, τρέφει δὲ τοῦτο τὸ ὄρνεον ὡς οὐδὲν ἕτερον ὁ Ἀράβιος κόλπος, ἐφίπταται τὴν μεταξὺ θάλατταν ὑπερελθὸν καὶ ὑπὸ κόπου τε ἅμα τῆς πτήσεως καὶ πρόσγαιον μᾶλλον τῶν ἄλλων ὂν καταφέρεται εἰς τοὺς Ἑβραίους· οἱ δὲ συλλαμβάνοντες ὡς τροφὴν αὐτοῖς τοῦ θεοῦ ταύτην μηχανησαμένου τὴν ἔνδειαν ἰῶνται, καὶ Μωυσῆς ἐπʼ εὐχὰς τρέπεται τοῦ θεοῦ ταχεῖαν καὶ παρὰ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν ποιησαμένου τὴν ἐπικουρίαν.

[¶4] 26. But presently after this first supply of food, he sent them a second; for as Moses was lifting up his hands in prayer, a dew fell down; and Moses, when he found it stick to his hands, supposed this was also come for food from God to them. He tasted it; and perceiving that the people knew not what it was, and thought it snowed, and that it was what usually fell at that time of the year, he informed them that this dew did not fall from heaven after the manner they imagined, but came for their preservation and sustenance. So he tasted it, and gave them some of it, that they might be satisfied about what he told them. They also imitated their conductor, and were pleased with the food, for it was like honey in sweetness and pleasant taste, but like in its body to bdellium, one of the sweet spices, and in bigness equal to coriander seed. And very earnest they were in gathering it; but they were enjoined to gather it equally - the measure of an omer for each one every day, because this food should not come in too small a quantity, lest the weaker might not be able to get their share, by reason of the overbearing of the strong in collecting it. However, these strong men, when they had gathered more than the measure appointed for them, had no more than others, but only tired themselves more in gathering it, for they found no more than an omer apiece; and the advantage they got by what was superfluous was none at all, it corrupting, both by the worms breeding in it, and by its bitterness. So divine and wonderful a food was this! It also supplied the want of other sorts of food to those that fed on it. And even now, in all that place, this manna comes down in rain, according to what Moses then obtained of God, to send it to the people for their sustenance. Now the Hebrews call this food manna: for the particle man, in our language, is the asking of a question. What is this? So the Hebrews were very joyful at what was sent them from heaven. Now they made use of this food for forty years, or as long as they were in the wilderness.

> Greek: 26. Εὐθὺς δὲ μετὰ τὴν πρώτην ἀφορμὴν τῆς τροφῆς καὶ δευτέραν αὐτοῖς κατέπεμπεν ὁ θεός· ἀνέχοντος γὰρ τοῦ Μωυσέος τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ ταῖς εὐχαῖς δρόσος κατηνέχθη, καὶ περιπηγνυμένης ταῖς χερσὶ Μωυσῆς ὑπονοήσας καὶ ταύτην εἰς τροφὴν ἥκειν αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ γεύεταί τε καὶ ἡσθείς, τοῦ πλήθους ἀγνοοῦντος καὶ νομίζοντος νίφεσθαι καὶ τῆς ὥρας εἶναι τοῦ ἔτους τὸ γινόμενον, ἀνεδίδασκεν οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ὑπόληψιν ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ καταφέρεσθαι τὴν δρόσον, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῇ αὐτῶν καὶ διατροφῇ, καὶ γευομένοις τοῦτο αὐτοῖς παρεῖχε πιστεύειν. οἱ δὲ μιμούμενοι τὸν στρατηγὸν ἥδοντο τῷ βρώματι· μέλιτι γὰρ ἦν τὴν γλυκύτητα καὶ τὴν ἡδονὴν ἐμφερές, ὅμοιον δὲ τῇ τῶν ἀρωμάτων βδέλλῃ, τὸ δὲ μέγεθος τῷ κοριάννου σπέρματι· καὶ περὶ συλλογὴν λίαν αὐτοῦ ἐσπουδάκεσαν. παρηγγέλλετο δʼ ἐξ ἴσου πᾶσιν ἀσσαρῶνα, τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶ μέτρον, εἰς ἑκάστην ἡμέραν συλλέγειν ὡς οὐκ ἐπιλείψοντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ βρώματος, ἵνα μὴ τοῖς ἀδυνάτοις ἄπορον ᾖ τὸ λαμβάνειν διʼ ἀλκὴν τῶν δυνατωτέρων πλεονεκτούντων περὶ τὴν ἀναίρεσιν. οἱ μέντοι πλέον τοῦ προστεταγμένου μέτρου συναγαγόντες οὐδὲν περισσότερον εἶχον τοῦ κακοπαθῆσαι· ἀσσαρῶνος γὰρ οὐδὲν πλέον εὕρισκον· τοῦ δʼ ὑπολειφθέντος εἰς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ὄνησις οὐδʼ ἥτις ἦν διεφθαρμένου ὑπό τε σκωλήκων καὶ πικρίας· οὕτω θεῖον ἦν τὸ βρῶμα καὶ παράδοξον. ἀμύνει δὲ τοῖς ταύτην νεμομένοις τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπορίαν, ἔτι δὲ καὶ νῦν [ὕεται] πᾶς ἐκεῖνος ὁ τόπος, καθάπερ καὶ τότε Μωυσεῖ χαριζόμενον τὸ θεῖον κατέπεμψε τὴν διατροφήν. καλοῦσι δὲ Ἑβραῖοι τὸ βρῶμα τοῦτο μάννα· τὸ γὰρ μάν ἐπερώτησις κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν διάλεκτον, τί τοῦτʼ ἔστιν ἀνακρίνουσα. καὶ οἱ μὲν χαίροντες ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ καταπεμφθεῖσιν αὐτοῖς διετέλουν, τῇ δὲ τροφῇ ταύτῃ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη ἐχρήσαντο ἐφʼ ὅσον χρόνον ἦσαν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.

[¶5] 33. As soon as they were removed thence, they came to Rephidim, being distressed to the last degree by thirst; and while in the foregoing days they had lit on a few small fountains, but now found the earth entirely destitute of water, they were in an evil case. They again turned their anger against Moses; but he at first avoided the fury of the multitude, and then betook himself to prayer to God, beseeching him, that as he had given them food when they were in the greatest want of it, so he would give them drink, since the favor of giving them food was of no value to them while they had nothing to drink. And God did not long delay to give it them, but promised Moses that he would procure them a fountain, and plenty of water, from a place they did not expect any. So he commanded him to smite the rock which they saw lying there, with his rod, and out of it to receive plenty of what they wanted; for he had taken care that drink should come to them without any labor or pains-taking. When Moses had received this command from God, he came to the people, who waited for him, and looked upon him, for they saw already that he was coming apace from his eminence. As soon as he was come, he told them that God would deliver them from their present distress, and had granted them an unexpected favor; and informed them, that a river should run for their sakes out of the rock. But they were amazed at that hearing, supposing they were of necessity to cut the rock in pieces, now they were distressed by their thirst and by their journey; while Moses only smiting the rock with his rod, opened a passage, and out of it burst water, and that in great abundance, and very clear. But they were astonished at this wonderful effect; and, as it were, quenched their thirst by the very sight of it. So they drank this pleasant, this sweet water; and such it seemed to be, as might well be expected where God was the donor. They were also in admiration how Moses was honored by God; and they made grateful returns of sacrifices to God for his providence towards them. Now that Scripture, which is laid up in the temple, informs us, how God foretold to Moses, that water timid in this manner be derived out of the rock.’

> Greek: 33. Ὡς δʼ ἐκεῖθεν ἄραντες εἰς Ῥαφιδεὶν ἧκον ταλαιπωρηθέντες ὑπὸ δίψους εἰς ἔσχατον ἔν τε ταῖς πρότερον ἡμέραις πίδαξιν ὀλίγαις ἐντυγχάνοντες καὶ τότε παντάπασιν ἄνυδρον εὑρόντες τὴν γῆν, ἐν κακοῖς ἦσαν καὶ πάλιν διʼ ὀργῆς τὸν Μωυσῆν ἐποιοῦντο. ὁ δὲ τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ πλήθους πρὸς μικρὸν ἐκκλίνας ἐπὶ λιτὰς τρέπεται τοῦ θεοῦ παρακαλῶν ὡς τροφὴν ἔδωκεν ἀπορουμένοις οὕτως καὶ ποτὸν παρασχεῖν, διαφθειρομένης καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τροφῇ χάριτος ποτοῦ μὴ παρόντος. ὁ δʼ οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν τὴν δωρεὰν ἀνεβάλλετο, τῷ δὲ Μωυσεῖ παρέξειν ὑπισχνεῖται πηγὴν καὶ πλῆθος ὕδατος ὅθεν οὐ προσδοκήσειαν, καὶ κελεύει τῷ βάκτρῳ πλήξαντα τὴν πέτραν, ἣν ἑώρων αὐτόθι παρακειμένην, παρʼ αὐτῆς λαμβάνειν τὴν εὐπορίαν ὧν δέονται· φροντίζει γὰρ καὶ τοῦ μὴ σὺν πόνῳ μηδʼ ἐργασίᾳ τὸ ποτὸν αὐτοῖς φανῆναι. καὶ Μωυσῆς ταῦτα λαβὼν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ παραγίνεται πρὸς τὸν λαὸν περιμένοντα καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀφορῶντα· καὶ γὰρ ἤδη καθεώρων αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς σκοπῆς ὁρμώμενον. ὡς δʼ ἧκεν, ἀπολύειν αὐτοὺς καὶ ταύτης τῆς ἀνάγκης τὸν θεὸν ἔλεγε καὶ χαρίσασθαι σωτηρίαν οὐδʼ ἐλπισθεῖσαν ἐκ τῆς πέτρας ποταμὸν αὐτοῖς ῥυήσεσθαι λέγων. τῶν δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἀκοὴν καταπλαγέντων, εἰ ὑπό τε τοῦ δίψους καὶ τῆς ὁδοιπορίας τεταλαιπωρημένοις ἀνάγκη γένοιτο κόπτειν τὴν πέτραν, ὁ Μωυσῆς πλήττει τῇ βακτηρίᾳ, καὶ χανούσης ἐξέβλυσεν ὕδωρ πολὺ καὶ διαυγέστατον. οἱ δὲ τῷ παραδόξῳ τοῦ γεγονότος κατεπλάγησαν, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ὄψιν αὐτοῖς ἤδη τὸ δίψος ἔληγε, καὶ πίνουσιν ἡδὺ καὶ γλυκὺ τὸ νᾶμα καὶ οἷον ἂν εἴη θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον δόντος ἐφαίνετο· τόν τε οὖν Μωυσῆν ἐθαύμαζον οὕτως ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ τετιμημένον, καὶ θυσίαις ἠμείβοντο τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ περὶ αὐτοὺς πρόνοιαν. δηλοῖ δὲ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἀνακειμένη γραφὴ τὸν θεὸν προειπεῖν Μωυσεῖ οὕτως ἐκ τῆς πέτρας ἀναδοθήσεσθαι ὕδωρ.

[¶6] 39. THE name of the Hebrews began already to be every where renowned, and rumors about them ran abroad. This made the inhabitants of those countries to be in no small fear. Accordingly they sent ambassadors to one another, and exhorted one another to defend themselves, and to endeavor to destroy these men. Those that induced the rest to do so, were such as inhabited Gobolitis and Petra. They were called Amalekites, and were the most warlike of the nations that lived thereabout; and whose kings exhorted one another, and their neighbors, to go to this war against the Hebrews; telling them that an army of strangers, and such a one as had run away from slavery under the Egyptians, lay in wait to ruin them; which army they were not, in common prudence and regard to their own safety, to overlook, but to crush them before they gather strength, and come to be in prosperity: and perhaps attack them first in a hostile manner, as presuming upon our indolence in not attacking them before; and that we ought to avenge ourselves of them for what they have done in the wilderness, but that this cannot be so well done when they have once laid their hands on our cities and our goods: that those who endeavor to crush a power in its first rise, are wiser than those that endeavor to put a stop to its progress when it is become formidable; for these last seem to be angry only at the flourishing of others, but the former do not leave any room for their enemies to become troublesome to them. After they had sent such embassages to the neighboring nations, and among one another, they resolved to attack the Hebrews in battle.

> Greek: 39. Τοῦ δὲ Ἑβραίων ὀνόματος ἤδη πολλοῦ κατὰ πάντας διαβοωμένου καὶ τοῦ περὶ αὐτῶν λόγου φοιτῶντος ἐν φόβῳ συνέβαινεν οὐ μικρῷ τοὺς ἐπιχωρίους εἶναι, καὶ πρεσβευόμενοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους παρεκάλουν ἀμύνειν καὶ πειρᾶσθαι τοὺς ἄνδρας διαφθείρειν. ἐτύγχανον δὲ οἱ πρὸς τοῦτο ἐνάγοντες οἵ τε τὴν Γοβολῖτιν καὶ τὴν Πέτραν κατοικοῦντες, οἳ καλοῦνται μὲν Ἀμαληκῖται, μαχιμώτατοι δὲ τῶν ἐκεῖσε ἐθνῶν ὑπῆρχον, ὧν πέμποντες οἱ βασιλεῖς ἀλλήλους τε καὶ τοὺς περιοίκους ἐπὶ τὸν πρὸς Ἑβραίους πόλεμον παρεκάλουν, στρατὸν ἀλλότριον καὶ τῆς Αἰγυπτίων ἀποδράντα δουλείας ἐφεδρεύειν αὐτοῖς λέγοντες, ὃν οὐ καλῶς ἔχει περιορᾶν, ἀλλὰ πρὶν ἢ λαβεῖν ἰσχὺν καὶ παρελθεῖν εἰς εὐπορίαν καὶ αὐτὸν τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς κατάρξαι μάχης θαρρήσαντας τῷ μηδὲν αὐτοῖς παρʼ ἡμῶν ἀπαντᾶν καταλύειν ἀσφαλὲς καὶ σῶφρον δίκην αὐτοὺς καὶ περὶ τῆς ἐρήμου καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ πραχθέντων ἀπαιτοῦντας, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὅταν ταῖς πόλεσιν ἡμῶν καὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἐπιβάλωσι τὰς χεῖρας. οἱ δὲ ἀρχομένην δύναμιν ἐχθρῶν πειρώμενοι καταλύειν ἀγαθοὶ συνεῖναι μᾶλλον, ἢ οἱ προκόψασαν μείζω κωλύοντες γενέσθαι· οἱ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ περισσοῦ δοκοῦσι νεμεσᾶν, οἱ δʼ οὐδεμίαν αὐτοῖς ἀφορμὴν κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐῶσι γενέσθαι. τοιαῦτα τοῖς τε πλησιοχώροις καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους πρεσβευόμενοι χωρεῖν τοῖς Ἑβραίοις ἐγνώκεσαν εἰς μάχην.

[¶7] 43. These proceedings of the people of those countries occasioned perplexity and trouble to Moses, who expected no such warlike preparations. And when these nations were ready to fight, and the multitude of the Hebrews were obliged to try the fortune of war, they were in a mighty disorder, and in want of all necessaries, and yet were to make war with men who were thoroughly well prepared for it. Then therefore it was that Moses began to encourage them, and to exhort them to have a good heart, and rely on God’s assistance by which they had been state of freedom and to hope for victory over those who were ready to fight with them, in order to deprive them of that blessing: that they were to suppose their own army to be numerous, wanting nothing, neither weapons, nor money, nor provisions, nor such other conveniences as, when men are in possession of, they fight undauntedly; and that they are to judge themselves to have all these advantages in the Divine assistance. They are also to suppose the enemy’s army to be small, unarmed, weak, and such as want those conveniences which they know must be wanted, when it is God’s will that they shall be beaten; and how valuable God’s assistance is, they had experienced in abundance of trials; and those such as were more terrible than war, for that is only against men; but these were against famine and thirst, things indeed that are in their own nature insuperable; as also against mountains, and that sea which afforded them no way for escaping; yet had all these difficulties been conquered by God’s gracious kindness to them. So he exhorted them to be courageous at this time, and to look upon their entire prosperity to depend on the present conquest of their enemies.

> Greek: 43. Μωυσεῖ δʼ οὐδὲν προσδοκῶντι πολέμιον ἀπορίαν καὶ ταραχὴν ἐνεποίει τὰ τῶν ἐπιχωρίων, καὶ παρόντων ἐπὶ τὴν μάχην ἤδη καὶ κινδυνεύειν δέον ἐθορύβει χαλεπῶς τὸ τῶν Ἑβραίων πλῆθος ἐν ἀπορίᾳ μὲν ὂν ἁπάντων, μέλλον δὲ πολεμεῖν πρὸς ἀνθρώπους τοῖς πᾶσι καλῶς ἐξηρτυμένους. παραμυθίας οὖν ὁ Μωυσῆς ἤρχετο καὶ θαρρεῖν παρεκάλει τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ ψήφῳ πεπιστευκότας, ὑφʼ ἧς εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἠρμένοι κατανικήσειαν τοὺς περὶ αὐτῆς εἰς μάχην αὐτοῖς καθισταμένους, ὑπολαμβάνειν δὲ τὸ μὲν αὐτῶν εἶναι στράτευμα πολὺ καὶ πάντων ἀπροσδεές, ὅπλων χρημάτων τροφῆς τῶν ἄλλων, ὧν παρόντων ἐκ πεποιθήσεως πολεμοῦσιν ἄνθρωποι, κρίνοντας ἐν τῇ παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ συμμαχίᾳ ταῦτα αὐτοῖς παρεῖναι, τὸ δὲ τῶν ἐναντίων ὀλίγον ἄνοπλον ἀσθενές, οἷον καὶ μὴ ὑπὸ τοιούτων, οἵοις αὐτοῖς σύνοιδεν οὖσιν, νικᾶσθαι βουλομένου τοῦ θεοῦ. εἰδέναι δʼ οἷος οὗτος ἐπίκουρος ἐκ πολλῶν πεπειραμένους καὶ δεινοτέρων τοῦ πολέμου· τοῦτον μὲν γὰρ εἶναι πρὸς ἀνθρώπους, ἃ δʼ ἦν αὐτοῖς πρὸς λιμὸν καὶ δίψος ἄπορα καὶ πρὸς ὄρη καὶ θάλασσαν ὁδὸν οὐκ ἔχουσι φυγῆς, ταῦτʼ αὐτοῖς διὰ τὴν εὐμένειαν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ νενικῆσθαι. νῦν δὲ γίνεσθαι παρεκάλει προθυμοτάτους, ὡς τῆς ἁπάντων εὐπορίας αὐτοῖς ἐν τῷ κρατῆσαι τῶν ἐχθρῶν κειμένης.

[¶8] 47. And with these words did Moses encourage the multitude, who then called together the princes of their tribes, and their chief men, both separately and conjointly. The young men he charged to obey their elders, and the elders to hearken to their leader. So the people were elevated in their minds, and ready to try their fortune in battle, and hoped to be thereby at length delivered from all their miseries: nay, they desired that Moses would immediately lead them against their enemies without the least delay, that no backwardness might be a hindrance to their present resolution. So Moses sorted all that were fit for war into different troops, and set Joshua, the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, over them; one that was of great courage, and patient to undergo labors; of great abilities to understand, and to speak what was proper; and very serious in the worship of God; and indeed made like another Moses, a teacher of piety towards God. He also appointed a small party of the armed men to be near the water, and to take care of the children, and the women, and of the entire camp. So that whole night they prepared themselves for the battle; they took their weapons, if any of them had such as were well made, and attended to their commanders as ready to rush forth to the battle as soon as Moses should give the word of command. Moses also kept awake, teaching Joshua after what manner he should order his camp. But when the day began, Moses called for Joshua again, and exhorted him to approve himself in deeds such a one as a his reputation made men expect from him; and to gain glory by the present expedition, in the opinion of those under him, for his exploits in this battle. He also gave a particular exhortation to the principal men of the Hebrews, and encouraged the whole army as it stood armed before him. And when he had thus animated the army, both by his words and works, and prepared every thing, he retired to a mountain, and committed the army to God and to Joshua.

> Greek: 47. Καὶ Μωυσῆς μὲν τοιούτοις παρεθάρσυνε τὸ πλῆθος λόγοις συγκαλῶν τούς τε φυλάρχους καὶ τῶν ἐν τέλει καθʼ ἑκάστους τε καὶ σὺν ἀλλήλοις τοὺς μὲν νεωτέρους παρεκάλει πείθεσθαι τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις, τοὺς δὲ ἀκροᾶσθαι τοῦ στρατηγοῦ· οἱ δʼ ἦσαν ἐπὶ τὸν κίνδυνον τὰς ψυχὰς ἠρμένοι καὶ πρὸς τὸ δεινὸν ἑτοίμως ἔχοντες ἤλπιζον ἀπαλλαγήσεσθαί ποτε τῶν κακῶν, καὶ τὸν Μωυσῆν ἐκέλευον ἄγειν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἤδη καὶ μὴ μέλλειν, ὡς τῆς ἀναβολῆς ἐμποδιζούσης τὴν προθυμίαν αὐτῶν. ὁ δὲ τῆς πληθύος ἀποκρίνας πᾶν τὸ μάχιμον Ἰησοῦν ἐφίστησιν αὐτῷ Ναυήκου μὲν υἱὸν φυλῆς τῆς Ἐφραιμίτιδος, ἀνδρειότατον δὲ καὶ πόνους ὑποστῆναι γενναῖον καὶ νοῆσαί τε καὶ εἰπεῖν ἱκανώτατον καὶ θρησκεύοντα τὸν θεὸν ἐκπρεπῶς καὶ Μωυσῆν διδάσκαλον τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν εὐσεβείας πεποιημένον τιμώμενόν τε παρὰ τοῖς Ἑβραίοις. βραχὺ δέ τι περὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ἔταξε τῶν ὁπλιτῶν ἐπὶ φυλακῇ παίδων καὶ γυναικῶν τοῦ τε παντὸς στρατοπέδου. καὶ νύκτα μὲν πᾶσαν ἐν παρασκευαῖς ἦσαν τῶν τε ὅπλων εἴ τι πεπονηκὸς ἦν ἀναλαμβάνοντες καὶ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς προσέχοντες, ὡς ὁρμήσοντες ἐπὶ τὴν μάχην ὁπότε κελεύσειεν αὐτοὺς Μωυσῆς. διηγρύπνει δὲ καὶ Μωυσῆς ἀναδιδάσκων τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὃν τρόπον ἐκτάξειε τὸ στρατόπεδον. ἠργμένης δὲ ὑποφαίνειν τῆς ἡμέρας αὖθις τόν τε Ἰησοῦν παρεκάλει μηδὲν χείρονα φανῆναι κατὰ τὸ ἔργον τῆς οὔσης περὶ αὐτὸν ἐλπίδος δόξαν τε διὰ τῆς παρούσης κτήσασθαι στρατηγίας παρὰ τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ἐπὶ τοῖς γεγενημένοις, τῶν τε Ἑβραίων τοὺς ἀξιολογωτάτους ἰδίᾳ παρεκάλει καὶ σύμπαν ἤδη τὸ πλῆθος ὡπλισμένον παρώρμα. καὶ ὁ μὲν οὕτως παραστησάμενος τὸν στρατὸν τοῖς τε λόγοις καὶ τῇ διὰ τῶν ἔργων παρασκευῇ ἀνεχώρει πρὸς τὸ ὄρος θεῷ τε καὶ Ἰησοῦ παραδιδοὺς τὸ στράτευμα.

[¶9] 53. So the armies joined battle; and it came to a close fight, hand to hand, both sides showing great alacrity, and encouraging one another. And indeed while Moses stretched out his hand towards heaven the Hebrews were too hard for the Amalekites: but Moses not being able to sustain his hands thus stretched out, (for as often as he let down his hands, so often were his own people worsted,) he bade his brother Aaron, and Hur their sister Miriam’s husband, to stand on each side of him, and take hold of his hands, and not permit his weariness to prevent it, but to assist him in the extension of his hands. When this was done, the Hebrews conquered the Amalekites by main force; and indeed they had all perished, unless the approach of the night had obliged the Hebrews to desist from killing any more. So our forefathers obtained a most signal and most seasonable victory; for they not only overcame those that fought against them, but terrified also the neighboring nations, and got great and splendid advantages, which they obtained of their enemies by their hard pains in this battle: for when they had taken the enemy’s camp, they got ready booty for the public, and for their own private families, whereas till then they had not any sort of plenty, of even necessary food. The forementioned battle, when they had once got it, was also the occasion of their prosperity, not only for the present, but for the future ages also; for they not only made slaves of the bodies of their enemies, but subdued their minds also, and after this battle, became terrible to all that dwelt round about them. Moreover, they acquired a vast quantity of riches; for a great deal of silver and gold was left in the enemy’s camp; as also brazen vessels, which they made common use of in their families; many utensils also that were embroidered there were of both sorts, that is, of what were weaved, and what were the ornaments of their armor, and other things that served for use in the family, and for the furniture of their rooms; they got also the prey of their cattle, and of whatsoever uses to follow camps, when they remove from one place to another. So the Hebrews now valued themselves upon their courage, and claimed great merit for their valor; and they perpetually inured themselves to take pains, by which they deemed every difficulty might be surmounted. Such were the consequences of this battle.

> Greek: 53. Προσέμισγον δὲ οἱ πολέμιοι κἀν χερσὶν ἦν ἡ μάχη· προθυμίᾳ δὲ καὶ διακελευσμῷ τὰ πρὸς ἀλλήλους χρωμένων μέχρι μὲν οὖν Μωυσῆς αὖθις ἀνίσχει τὰς χεῖρας, καὶ τοὺς Ἀμαληκίτας κατεπόνουν οἱ Ἑβραῖοι. τὸν οὖν πόνον τῆς ἀνατάσεως τῶν χειρῶν ὁ Μωυσῆς οὐχ ὑπομένων, ὁσάκις γὰρ ἂν αὐτὰς καθίει τοσαυτάκις ἐλαττοῦσθαι τοὺς οἰκείους αὐτοῦ συνέβαινε, κελεύει τόν τε ἀδελφὸν Ἀαρῶνα καὶ τῆς ἀδελφῆς Μαριάμης τὸν ἄνδρα Οὖρον ὄνομα στάντας ἑκατέρωθεν αὐτοῦ διακρατεῖν τὰς χεῖρας καὶ μὴ ἐπιτρέπειν κάμνειν βοηθοῦντας. καὶ τούτου γενομένου κατὰ κράτος ἐνίκων τοὺς Ἀμαληκίτας οἱ Ἑβραῖοι, καὶ πάντες ἂν ἀπωλώλεισαν, εἰ μὴ νυκτὸς ἐπιγενομένης ἀπέσχοντο τοῦ κτείνειν. νίκην καλλίστην καὶ καιριωτάτην νικῶσιν ἡμῶν οἱ πρόγονοι· καὶ γὰρ τῶν ἐπιστρατευσάντων ἐκράτησαν καὶ τοὺς περιοίκους ἐφόβησαν, μεγάλων τε καὶ λαμπρῶν ἐκ τοῦ πονεῖν ἐπέτυχον ἀγαθῶν ἑλόντες τὸ στρατόπεδον τῶν πολεμίων, πλούτους τε μεγάλους δημοσίᾳ καὶ κατʼ ἰδίαν ἔσχον οὐδὲ τῆς ἀναγκαίου τροφῆς πρότερον εὐποροῦντες. ὑπῆρξε δʼ αὐτοῖς οὐκ εἰς τὸ παρὸν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὸν αὖθις αἰῶνα τῶν ἀγαθῶν αἰτία κατορθωθεῖσα ἡ προειρημένη μάχη· οὐ γὰρ τὰ σώματα μόνον τῶν ἐπιστρατευσάντων ἐδούλωσαν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ φρονήματα, καὶ τοῖς περιοίκοις ἅπασι μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἧτταν ἐγένοντο φοβεροί, αὐτοί τε πλούτου μεγάλου δύναμιν προσέλαβον· πολὺς γὰρ ὁ ἄργυρός τε καὶ χρυσὸς ἐγκατελήφθη ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ καὶ σκεύη χαλκᾶ, οἷς ἐχρῶντο περὶ τὴν δίαιταν, πολὺ δὲ ἐπίσημον πλῆθος ἑκατέρων ὅσα τε ὑφαντὰ καὶ κόσμοι περὶ τὰς ὁπλίσεις ἥ τε ἄλλη θεραπεία καὶ κατασκευὴ ἐκείνων λεία τε παντοία κτηνῶν καὶ ὅσα φιλεῖ στρατοπέδοις ἐξωδευκόσιν ἕπεσθαι. φρονήματός τε ὑπεπλήσθησαν ἐπʼ ἀνδρείᾳ Ἑβραῖοι καὶ πολλὴ μεταποίησις ἦν ἀρετῆς αὐτοῖς πρός τε τῷ πονεῖν ἦσαν ἀεὶ τούτῳ πάντα ληπτὰ νομίζοντες εἶναι. καὶ ταύτης μὲν τῆς μάχης τοῦτο τὸ πέρας.

[¶10] 59. On the next day, Moses stripped the dead bodies of their enemies, and gathered together the armor of those that were fled, and gave rewards to such as had signalized themselves in the action; and highly commended Joshua, their general, who was attested to by all the army, on account of the great actions he had done. Nor was any one of the Hebrews slain; but the slain of the enemy’s army were too many to be enumerated. So Moses offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to God, and built an altar, which he named The Lord the Conqueror. He also foretold that the Amalekites should utterly be destroyed; and that hereafter none of them should remain, because they fought against the Hebrews, and this when they were in the wilderness, and in their distress also. Moreover, he refreshed the army with feasting. And thus did they fight this first battle with those that ventured to oppose them, after they were gone out of Egypt. But when Moses had celebrated this festival for the victory, he permitted the Hebrews to rest for a few days, and then he brought them out after the fight, in order of battle; for they had now many soldiers in light armor. And going gradually on, he came to Mount Sinai, in three months’ time after they were removed out of Egypt; at which mountain, as we have before related, the vision of the bush, and the other wonderful appearances, had happened.

> Greek: 59. Τῇ δʼ ὑστεραίᾳ Μωυσῆς νεκρούς τε ἐσκύλευε τῶν πολεμίων καὶ τὰς παντευχίας τῶν φυγόντων συνέλεγεν ἀριστεῦσί τε τιμὰς ἐδίδου καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐνεκωμίαζε μαρτυρούμενον ἐφʼ οἷς ἔπραξεν ὑπὸ παντὸς τοῦ στρατοῦ. ἀπέθανεν δὲ Ἑβραίων μὲν οὐδείς, τῶν δὲ πολεμίων ὅσους οὐδʼ ἀριθμῷ γνῶναι δυνατὸν ἦν. θύσας δὲ χαριστήρια βωμὸν ἱδρύεται νικαῖον ὀνομάσας τὸν θεὸν προεφήτευέ τε πανωλεθρὶ τοὺς Ἀμαληκίτας ἀπολουμένους καὶ μηδένα αὐτῶν ὑπολειφθησόμενον εἰς αὖθις διὰ τὸ Ἑβραίοις ἐπιστρατεύσασθαι καὶ ταῦτα ἐν ἐρήμῳ τε γῇ καὶ ταλαιπωρουμένοις, τόν τε στρατὸν εὐωχίαις ἀνελάμβανε. καὶ ταύτην μὲν τὴν μάχην πρώτην μαχεσάμενοι πρὸς τοὺς κατατολμήσαντας αὐτῶν μετὰ τὴν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου γενομένην ἔξοδον οὕτως ἐπολέμησαν, ἐπεὶ δὲ τὴν τῶν ἐπινικίων ἑορτὴν ἤγαγον, ὁ Μωυσῆς ἀναπαύσας ἐπʼ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας τοὺς Ἑβραίους μετὰ τὴν μάχην προῆγε συντεταγμένους· πολὺ δʼ ἦν ἤδη τὸ ὁπλιτικὸν αὐτοῖς· καὶ προϊὼν κατʼ ὀλίγον ἐν τριμήνῳ μετὰ τὴν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου κίνησιν παρῆν ἐπὶ τὸ Σιναῖον ὄρος, ἐν ᾧ τά τε περὶ τὸν θάμνον αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ φαντάσματα συντυχεῖν προειρήκαμεν.

[¶11] 63. NOW when Raguel, Moses’s father-in-law, understood in what a prosperous condition his affairs were, he willingly came to meet him. And Moses and his children, and pleased himself with his coming. And when he had offered sacrifice, he made a feast for the multitude, near the Bush he had formerly seen; which multitude, every one according to their families, partook of the feast. But Aaron and his family took Raguel, and sung hymns to God, as to Him who had been the author procurer of their deliverance and their freedom. They also praised their conductor, as him by whose virtue it was that all things had succeeded with them. Raguel also, in his eucharistical oration to Moses, made great encomiums upon the whole multitude; and he could not but admire Moses for his fortitude, and that humanity he had shewn in the delivery of his friends.

> Greek: 63. Καὶ Ῥαγουῆλος ὁ πενθερὸς αὐτοῦ πυνθανόμενος εὐπραξίαν ἀσμένως ἀπήντα τόν τε Μωυσῆν καὶ τὴν Σαπφώραν δεχόμενος καὶ τοὺς παῖδας αὐτῶν. ἥδεται δὲ Μωυσῆς ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ πενθεροῦ ἀφίξει καὶ θύσας εὐωχεῖ τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ θάμνου πλησίον, ὃς διαπεφεύγει τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν φλόγωσιν· καὶ τὸ μὲν πλῆθος κατὰ συγγένειαν ὡς ἕκαστοι τῆς εὐωχίας μετελάμβανον, Ἀαρὼν δὲ σὺν τοῖς παροῦσι Ῥαγουῆλον προσλαβόμενος ὕμνους τε ᾖδον εἰς τὸν θεὸν ὡς τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτοῖς καὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας αἴτιον καὶ ποριστὴν γεγενημένον, καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν εὐφήμουν ὡς κατὰ ἀρετὴν ἐκείνου πάντων αὐτοῖς κατὰ νοῦν ἀπηντηκότων. καὶ Ῥαγουῆλος πολλὰ μὲν ἐγκώμια τοῦ πλήθους ἐπὶ τῇ πρὸς τὸν Μωυσῆν εὐχαριστίᾳ διεξῄει, ἐθαύμαζε δὲ καὶ τὸν Μωυσῆν τῆς ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῶν φίλων ἀνδραγαθίας.

[¶12] 66. THE next day, as Raguel saw Moses in the of a crowd of business for he determined the differences of those that referred them to him, every one still going to him, and supposing that they should then only obtain justice, if he were the arbitrator; and those that lost their causes thought it no harm, while they thought they lost them justly, and not by partiality. Raguel however said nothing to him at that time, as not desirous to be any hinderance to such as had a mind to make use of the virtue of their conductor. But afterward he took him to himself, and when he had him alone, he instructed him in what he ought to do; and advised him to leave the trouble of lesser causes to others, but himself to take care of the greater, and of the people’s safety, for that certain others of the Hebrews might be found that were fit to determine causes, but that nobody but a Moses could take of the safety of so many ten thousands. “Be therefore,” says he, “insensible of thine own virtue, and what thou hast done by ministering under God to the people’s preservation. Permit, therefore, the determination of common causes to be done by others, but do thou reserve thyself to the attendance on God only, and look out for methods of preserving the multitude from their present distress. Make use of the method I suggest to you, as to human affairs; and take a review of the army, and appoint chosen rulers over tens of thousands, and then over thousands; then divide them into five hundreds, and again into hundreds, and into fifties; and set rulers over each of them, who may distinguish them into thirties, and keep them in order; and at last number them by twenties and by tens: and let there be one commander over each number, to be denominated from the number of those over whom they are rulers, but such as the whole multitude have tried, and do approve of, as being good and righteous men; and let those rulers decide the controversies they have one with another. But if any great cause arise, let them bring the cognizance of it before the rulers of a higher dignity; but if any great difficulty arise that is too hard for even their determination, let them send it to thee. By these means two advantages will be gained; the Hebrews will have justice done them, and thou wilt be able to attend constantly on God, and procure him to be more favorable to the people.”

> Greek: 66. Τῇ δʼ ὑστεραίᾳ θεασάμενος ὁ Ῥαγουῆλος τὸν Μωυσῆν ἐν ὄχλῳ πραγμάτων ὄντα· διέλυε γὰρ τὰς δίκας τοῖς δεομένοις πάντων ἐπʼ αὐτὸν βαδιζόντων καὶ μόνως ἂν τοῦ δικαίου τυχεῖν ἡγουμένων, εἰ διαιτητὴς αὐτοῖς οὗτος γένοιτο· καὶ γὰρ τοῖς ἡττωμένοις κοῦφον ἐδόκει τὸ λείπεσθαι κατὰ δικαιοσύνην οὐ κατὰ πλεονεξίαν αὐτὸ πάσχειν νομίζουσι· τότε μὲν ἡσυχίαν ἦγε μὴ βουλόμενος ἐμποδίζειν τοῖς ἀρετῇ χρῆσθαι τοῦ στρατηγοῦ θέλουσι, παυσάμενον δὲ τοῦ θορύβου παραλαβὼν καὶ συμμονωθεὶς ἀνεδίδασκεν ἃ δεῖ ποιεῖν. καὶ συνεβούλευε τῆς μὲν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἥττοσι ταλαιπωρίας ἑτέροις ἐκστῆναι, περὶ δὲ τῶν μειζόνων καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας τοῦ πλήθους ἔχειν τὴν πρόνοιαν αὐτόν· δικάσαι μὲν γὰρ ἀγαθοὺς κἂν ἄλλους Ἑβραίων εὑρεθῆναι, φροντίσαι δὲ τοσούτων μυριάδων σωτηρίας οὐκ ἄλλον τινὰ δύνασθαι μὴ Μωυσῆν γενόμενον. αἰσθανόμενος οὖν τῆς ἀρετῆς, φησί, σαυτοῦ καὶ οἷος γέγονας ἐπὶ τῷ τὸν λαὸν ὑπουργῶν τῷ θεῷ σώζειν τὴν μὲν τῶν ἐγκλημάτων δίαιταν ἐπίτρεψον αὐτοῖς ποιεῖσθαι καὶ ἐπʼ ἄλλων, σὺ δὲ πρὸς μόνῃ τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ θεραπείᾳ κατέχων σεαυτὸν διατέλει ζητῶν οἷς ἂν τὸ πλῆθος ἀπαλλάξειας τῆς νῦν ἀπορίας. ὑποθήκαις δὲ ταῖς ἐμαῖς περὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων χρησάμενος τὸν στρατὸν ἐξετάσεις ἀκριβῶς καὶ κατὰ μυρίους τούτων κεκριμένους ἄρχοντας ἀποδείξεις, εἶτα κατὰ χιλίους, διαιρήσεις δὲ μετʼ αὐτοὺς εἰς πεντακοσίους, καὶ πάλιν εἰς ἑκατόν, εἶτʼ εἰς πεντήκοντα. ἄρχοντάς τε ἐπὶ τούτοις τάξεις, οἳ κατὰ τριάκοντα μερισθέντας διακοσμήσουσι καὶ κατὰ εἴκοσι καὶ κατὰ δέκα συναριθμουμένους, ἔστω δέ τις ἐπὶ τούτοις εἷς τὴν προσηγορίαν ἀπὸ τοῦ τῶν ἀρχομένων ἀριθμοῦ λαμβάνων, δοκιμασθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους παντὸς εἶναι ἀγαθοὶ καὶ δίκαιοι, οἳ περί τε τῶν διαφόρων αὐτοῖς κρινοῦσι κἂν ᾖ τι μεῖζον ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐν ἀξιώματι τὴν περὶ τούτου διάγνωσιν ἐπανοίσουσιν, ἂν δὲ κἀκείνους διαφύγῃ τὸ περὶ τοῦ πράγματος δύσκολον, ἐπὶ σὲ τοῦτο ἀναπέμψουσιν· ἔσται γὰρ οὕτως ἀμφότερα· καὶ τῶν δικαίων Ἑβραῖοι τεύξονται καὶ σὺ τῷ θεῷ προσεδρεύων εὐμενέστερον ἂν ποιήσειας αὐτὸν τῷ στρατῷ.

[¶13] 73. This was the admonition of Raguel; and Moses received his advice very kindly, and acted according to his suggestion. Nor did he conceal the invention of this method, nor pretend to it himself, but informed the multitude who it was that invented it: nay, he has named Raguel in the books he wrote, as the person who invented this ordering of the people, as thinking it right to give a true testimony to worthy persons, although he might have gotten reputation by ascribing to himself the inventions of other men; whence we may learn the virtuous disposition of Moses: but of such his disposition, we shall have proper occasion to speak in other places of these books.

> Greek: 73. Ταῦτα Ῥαγουήλου παραινέσαντος Μωυσῆς ἀσμένως προσήκατο τὴν συμβουλίαν καὶ ποιεῖ κατὰ τὴν ὑποθήκην τὴν ἐκείνου τοῦ τρόπου τὴν ἐπίνοιαν οὐκ ἀποκρυψάμενος οὐδὲ σφετερισάμενος αὐτήν, ἀλλὰ ποιήσας φανερὸν τὸν ἐξευρηκότα τῷ πλήθει. κἀν τοῖς βιβλίοις δὲ Ῥαγουῆλον ἔγραψεν ὡς εὑρηκότα τὴν διάταξιν τὴν προειρημένην, καλῶς ἔχειν ἡγούμενος τἀληθῆ μαρτυρεῖν τοῖς ἀξίοις, εἰ καὶ δόξαν ἔμελλε φέρειν ἐπιγραφομένῳ τὰ ὑπὸ ἄλλων εὑρημένα, ὥστε τὴν Μωυσέος ἀρετὴν κἀκ τούτου καταμαθεῖν. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν ταύτης εὐκαίρως ἐν ἄλλοις τῆς γραφῆς δηλώσομεν.

[¶14] 75. NOW Moses called the multitude together, and told them that he was going from them unto mount Sinai to converse with God; to receive from him, and to bring back with him, a certain oracle; but he enjoined them to pitch their tents near the mountain, and prefer the habitation that was nearest to God, before one more remote. When he had said this, he ascended up to Mount Sinai, which is the highest of all the mountains that are in that country and is not only very difficult to be ascended by men, on account of its vast altitude, but because of the sharpness of its precipices also; nay, indeed, it cannot be looked at without pain of the eyes: and besides this, it was terrible and inaccessible, on account of the rumor that passed about, that God dwelt there. But the Hebrews removed their tents as Moses had bidden them, and took possession of the lowest parts of the mountain; and were elevated in their minds, in expectation that Moses would return from God with promises of the good things he had proposed to them. So they feasted and waited for their conductor, and kept themselves pure as in other respects, and not accompanying with their wives for three days, as he had before ordered them to do. And they prayed to God that he would favorably receive Moses in his conversing with him, and bestow some such gift upon them by which they might live well. They also lived more plentifully as to their diet; and put on their wives and children more ornamental and decent clothing than they usually wore.

> Greek: 75. Μωυσῆς δὲ συγκαλέσας τὴν πληθὺν αὐτὸς μὲν εἰς τὸ ὄρος ἀπέρχεσθαι τὸ Σιναῖον ἔλεγεν ὡς συνεσόμενος τῷ θεῷ καί τι λαβὼν παρʼ αὐτοῦ χρήσιμον ἐπανήξων πρὸς αὐτούς, ἐκείνους δʼ ἐκέλευσε πλησίον μετασκηνῶσαι τῷ ὄρει τὴν γειτνίασιν τοῦ θεοῦ προτιμήσαντας. ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν ἀνῄει πρὸς τὸ Σιναῖον ὑψηλότατον τῶν ἐν ἐκείνοις τοῖς χωρίοις ὀρῶν τυγχάνον καὶ διὰ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τοῦ μεγέθους καὶ τῶν κρημνῶν τὸ ἀπότομον ἀνθρώποις οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀναβατὸν ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ ὁραθῆναι δίχα πόνου τῆς ὄψεως δυνάμενον ἄλλως τε διὰ τὸ λόγον εἶναι περὶ τοῦ τὸν θεὸν ἐν αὐτῷ διατρίβειν φοβερὸν καὶ ἀπρόσιτον. Ἑβραῖοι δὲ κατὰ τὰς Μωυσέος ἐντολὰς μετεσκήνουν καὶ τὰς ὑπωρείας τοῦ ὄρους κατελαμβάνοντο ἠρμένοι ταῖς διανοίαις ὡς μετὰ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἣν προύτεινεν αὐτοῖς, ἐπανήξοντος Μωυσέος παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ. ἑορτάζοντες δὲ τὸν στρατηγὸν περιέμενον ἁγνεύοντες τήν τε ἄλλην ἁγνείαν καὶ ἀπὸ συνουσίας τῆς γυναικῶν ἡμέρας τρεῖς, καθὼς ἐκεῖνος αὐτοῖς προεῖπε, καὶ παρακαλοῦντες τὸν θεὸν εὐμενῆ συμβάλλοντα Μωυσεῖ δοῦναι δωρεάν, ὑφʼ ἧς εὖ βιώσονται. ταῖς τʼ οὖν διαίταις ἐχρῶντο πολυτελεστέραις καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ γυναιξὶν ὁμοῦ καὶ τέκνοις ἐκπρεπῶς ἤσκηντο.

[¶15] 79. So they passed two days in this way of feasting; but on the third day, before the sun was up, a cloud spread itself over the whole camp of the Hebrews, such a one as none had before seen, and encompassed the place where they had pitched their tents; and while all the rest of the air was clear, there came strong winds, that raised up large showers of rain, which became a mighty tempest. There was also such lightning, as was terrible to those that saw it; and thunder, with its thunderbolts, were sent down, and declared God to be there present in a gracious way to such as Moses desired he should be gracious. Now, as to these matters, every one of my readers may think as he pleases; but I am under a necessity of relating this history as it is described in the sacred books. This sight, and the amazing sound that came to their ears, disturbed the Hebrews to a prodigious degree, for they were not such as they were accustomed to; and then the rumor that was spread abroad, how God frequented that mountain, greatly astonished their minds, so they sorrowfully contained themselves within their tents, as both supposing Moses to be destroyed by the Divine wrath, and expecting the like destruction for themselves.

> Greek: 79. Ἐπὶ δύο μὲν οὖν ἡμέρας εὐωχούμενοι διῆγον, τῇ τρίτῃ δὲ πρὶν τὸν ἥλιον ἀνασχεῖν νεφέλη τε ὑπεράνω ἀνέσχε τοῦ παντὸς στρατοπέδου τῶν Ἑβραίων οὐ πρότερον τοῦτο ἰδόντων γενόμενον καὶ τὸ χωρίον οὗ τὰς σκηνὰς ἦσαν πεποιημένοι περιέγραφε, καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ παντὸς ἐν αἰθρίᾳ τυγχάνοντος ἄνεμοί τε σφοδροὶ λάβρον κινοῦντες ὑετὸν κατῄγιζον, ἀστραπαί τε ἦσαν φοβεραὶ τοῖς ὁρῶσι, καὶ κεραυνοὶ κατενεχθέντες ἐδήλουν τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ θεοῦ οἷς Μωυσῆς ἔχαιρεν εὐμενοῦς παρατυχόντος. καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτων ὡς βούλεται φρονείτω ἕκαστος τῶν ἐντευξομένων, ἐμοὶ δὲ ἀνάγκη ταῦτα ἱστορεῖν καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς βίβλοις ἀναγέγραπται. τοὺς δὲ Ἑβραίους τά τε ὁρώμενα καὶ ὁ ταῖς ἀκοαῖς προσβάλλων ψόφος δεινῶς ἐτάραττεν, ἀήθεις τε γὰρ ἦσαν αὐτῶν, καὶ ὁ περὶ τοῦ ὄρους διαπεφοιτηκὼς λόγος ὡς εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο φοιτῶντος τοῦ θεοῦ σφόδρα τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν ἐξέπληττε. κατεῖχον δʼ αὑτοὺς πρὸς ταῖς σκηναῖς ἀχθόμενοι καὶ τόν τε Μωυσῆν ἀπολωλέναι νομίζοντες ὑπʼ ὀργῆς τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ περὶ αὐτῶν ὅμοια προσδοκῶντες.

[¶16] 83. When they were under these apprehensions, Moses appeared as joyful and greatly exalted. When they saw him, they were freed from their fear, and admitted of more comfortable hopes as to what was to come. The air also was become clear and pure of its former disorders, upon the appearance of Moses; whereupon he called together the people to a congregation, in order to their hearing what God would say to them: and when they were gathered together, he stood on an eminence whence they might all hear him, and said, “God has received me graciously, O Hebrews, as he has formerly done; and has suggested a happy method of living for you, and an order of political government, and is now present in the camp: I therefore charge you, for his sake and the sake of his works, and what we have done by his means, that you do not put a low value on what I am going to say, because the commands have been given by me that now deliver them to you, nor because it is the tongue of a man that delivers them to you; but if you have a due regard to the great importance of the things themselves, you will understand the greatness of Him whose institutions they are, and who has not disdained to communicate them to me for our common advantage; for it is not to be supposed that the author of these institutions is barely Moses, the son of Amram and Jochebed, but He who obliged the Nile to run bloody for your sakes, and tamed the haughtiness of the Egyptians by various sorts of judgments; he who provided a way through the sea for us; he who contrived a method of sending us food from heaven, when we were distressed for want of it; he who made the water to issue out of a rock, when we had very little of it before; he by whose means Adam was made to partake of the fruits both of the land and of the sea; he by whose means Noah escaped the deluge; he by whose means our forefather Abraham, of a wandering pilgrim, was made the heir of the land of Canaan; he by whose means Isaac was born of parents that were very old; he by whose means Jacob was adorned with twelve virtuous sons; he by whose means Joseph became a potent lord over the Egyptians; he it is who conveys these instructions to you by me as his interpreter. And let them be to you venerable, and contended for more earnestly by you than your own children and your own wives; for if you will follow them, you will lead a happy life you will enjoy the land fruitful, the sea calm, and the fruit of the womb born complete, as nature requires; you will be also terrible to your enemies for I have been admitted into the presence of God and been made a hearer of his incorruptible voice so great is his concern for your nation, and its duration.”

> Greek: 83. Οὕτως δʼ αὐτῶν διακειμένων ἐπιφαίνεται Μωυσῆς γαῦρός τε καὶ μέγα φρονῶν. ὀφθείς τε οὖν αὐτὸς ἀπαλλάσσει τοῦ δέους αὐτοὺς καὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων κρείττονας ὑπετίθετο τὰς ἐλπίδας, αἴθριός τε καὶ καθαρὸς ὁ ἀὴρ τῶν πρὸ ὀλίγου παθῶν ἦν Μωυσέος παραγεγονότος. ἐπὶ τούτοις οὖν συγκαλεῖ τὸ πλῆθος εἰς ἐκκλησίαν ἀκουσόμενον ὧν ὁ θεὸς εἴποι πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ συναθροισθέντων στὰς ἐπὶ ὑψηλοῦ τινος, ὅθεν ἔμελλον πάντες ἀκούσεσθαι, ὁ μὲν θεός, εἶπεν, ὦ Ἑβραῖοι, καθάπερ καὶ πρότερον εὐμενὴς προσεδέξατό με καὶ βίον τε ὑμῖν εὐδαίμονα καὶ πολιτείας κόσμον ὑπαγορεύσας πάρεστι καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον. πρὸς γοῦν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἔργων, ἃ διʼ ἐκεῖνον ἡμῖν ἤδη πέπρακται, μὴ καταφρονήσητε τῶν λεγομένων εἰς ἐμὲ τὸν λέγοντα ἀφορῶντες μηδʼ ὅτι γλῶττα ἀνθρωπίνη πρὸς ὑμᾶς λέγει· τὴν δʼ ἀρετὴν αὐτῶν κατανοήσαντες ἐπιγνώσεσθε καὶ τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ νενοηκότος καὶ ἐπὶ συμφέροντι τῷ ὑμετέρῳ πρὸς ἐμὲ μὴ φθονήσαντος εἰπεῖν· οὐ γὰρ Μωυσῆς ὁ Ἀμαράμου καὶ Ἰωχαβάδης υἱός, ἀλλʼ ὁ τὸν Νεῖλον ἀναγκάσας ᾑματωμένον ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ῥυῆναι καὶ ποικίλοις δαμάσας κακοῖς τὸ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων φρόνημα, ὁ διὰ θαλάσσης ὁδὸν ὑμῖν παρασχών, ὁ καὶ τροφὴν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ μηχανησάμενος ἐλθεῖν ἀπορουμένοις, ὁ ποτὸν ἐκ πέτρας ἀναβλύσας σπανίζουσι, διʼ ὃν Ἄδαμος τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς τε καρπῶν καὶ θαλάσσης μεταλαμβάνει, διʼ ὃν Νῶχος ἐκ τῆς ἐπομβρίας διέφυγε, διʼ ὃν Ἅβραμος ὁ ἡμέτερος πρόγονος ἐξ ἀλήτου τὴν Χαναναίαν κατέσχε γῆν, διʼ ὃν Ἴσακος γηραιοῖς ἐτέχθη γονεῦσι, διʼ ὃν Ἰάκωβος δώδεκα παίδων ἀρεταῖς ἐκοσμήθη, διʼ ὃν Ἰώσηπος ἐδεσπότευσε τῆς Αἰγυπτίων δυνάμεως, οὗτος ὑμῖν τούτους χαρίζεται τοὺς λόγους διʼ ἑρμηνέως ἐμοῦ. σεβάσμιοι δʼ ὑμῖν γενέσθωσαν καὶ παίδων περιμαχητότεροι καὶ γυναικῶν· εὐδαίμονα γὰρ διάξετε βίον τούτοις ἑπόμενοι καὶ γῆς ἀπολαύοντες καρπίμου καὶ θαλάσσης ἀχειμάστου καὶ τέκνων γονῆς κατὰ φύσιν τικτομένων καὶ πολεμίοις ἔσεσθε φοβεροί· τῷ θεῷ γὰρ εἰς ὄψιν ἐλθὼν ἀκροατὴς ἀφθάρτου φωνῆς ἐγενόμην· οὕτως ἐκείνῳ τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς τούτου μέλει διαμονῆς.